SMART Performance Standards Worksheet Exercise

Instructions: Rewrite the following performance standards to make them SMART,

effective performance standards.

S Specific

M Measurable

A Achievable

R Relevant

T Timely

Non-SMART
SMART
Number Performance
Performance Standard
Standard
1 Take care of all incoming
inquiries for Chief
Financial Officer Affairs.
Be sure to respond to all
inquiries in a timely
manner.
2 Come up with at least
one innovative solution
for the organization’s
current data storage
management system
problem.
3 By the end of the year,
review the computer
security system training
and provide a report on
what’s working and what
needs improvement.

SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2 1

 Non-SMART
SMART
Number Performance
Performance Standard
Standard
4 In support of the
Business Excellence
Campaign #6, Goal 1,
Performance Element
1.1, serve as team
leader for the Travel
Team. Ensure that a
100% quality review is
performed on all travel
vouchers prior to being
forwarded for payment.
Analyze and report on
performance metrics
monthly. Provide
required metric data for
travel within 5 business
days after the close of
the month.
5 For all projects that you
are assigned, be sure to
provide high quality
deliverables. You must
also meet specified
timeframes.

6 Identify one aspect of a

current collection
strategy that needs
improvement. Research
and report on solutions.
The report should have
minimal editing errors,
conform to the
organizational format,
and be submitted soon.

SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2 2

9. Write a SMART performance standard for your job that you can use in
the coming performance year. (We will refer to this again this lesson.)

SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2 3

 Answers
SMART
Number
Performance Standard
1 Manage receipt, tasking,
tracking, and closure of all
incoming congressional
inquiries relating to Chief
Financial Officer Affairs. Provide
review of all draft responses to
inquiries and ensure delivery of
final product. Achieve closure
within 10 business days of
receipt, with 95% of responses
satisfying request without need
for follow-up.
2 With minimal guidance,
develop and recommend one
feasible alternative process or
long-term solution to recurring
server-limitation problems by
the end of the fiscal year. The
recommendations should be
unique from other existing
solutions and be able to meet
projected data storage needs
over the next three years. That
is, it should enhance the
organization’s ability to
efficiently manage, organize,
and store increasing amounts
of data. Present
recommendations in a briefing
following the standard
organizational format. Give a
draft to your supervisor at least
one month in advance of the
due date and incorporate
supervisor’s feedback into the
final briefing by the end of the
fiscal year.
SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2
Why it’s SMART
 Specific – “Manage the receipt,
tasking, tracking, and closure.”
 Measurable – “95% of responses
satisfy the initial request.”
 Achievable – It is assumed the
employee has the resources to
accomplish this Performance
Element.
 Relevant – It supports the mission
of the organization.
 Timely – “Achieve closure within 10
business days of receipt.”
 Specific – “The recommendations
should be unique from other
existing solutions and be able to
meet projected storage needs over
the next three years.”
 Measurable – The result is
observable (a briefing) and has
specific standards related to quality
of the report (organizational format)
and timeliness (given to supervisor
one month before the final
deadline), and quality of the
recommendations (unique and able
to meet projected needs over the
next three years).
 Achievable – Developing potential
solutions is challenging but doable.
 Relevant – It enhances the
organization’s ability to efficiently
manage, organize, and store
increasing amounts of data.
 Timely – “By the end of the fiscal
year.”
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 SMART
Number
Performance Standard
3 By the end of the fiscal year,
evaluate the computer security
system (CSS) training,
assessing the extent to which
the training is easy to use and
if it covers the learning
objectives sufficiently.
Document the evaluation in a
report that provides a detailed
description of the evaluation
methodology and results, and
includes feasible
recommendations for
improvements that address the
complaints as determined by
your supervisor and one other
reviewer. Write the report in
the standard department
format with no more than
minimal editing errors. The
draft report is due by July 31,
and the final report is due
within 10 business days after
feedback is received from the
reviewer.
SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2
Why it’s SMART
 Specific – Acronyms is spelled out,
report is explained, and it tells the
employee who should review all
documents.
 Measurable – Two reports are due
(draft and final).
 Achievable – It is assumed the
employee has the resources to
accomplish this performance
element.
 Relevant – Determining how to
better train individuals to use the
computer security system will help
protect the organization against
threats.
 Timely – “The draft report is due by
July 31, and the final report is due
within 10 business days after
feedback is received from the
reviewer.”
5
 SMART
Number
Performance Standard
4 In support of the Business
Excellence Campaign #6, Goal
1, Performance Element 1.1,
serve as team leader for the
Travel Team over the next 12
months. As team leader,
develop a system to monitor
the review process, ensuring
that the quality review checklist
is used on travel vouchers prior
to being forwarded for
payment. Ensure that no more
than 5% of the spot-checked
vouchers contain more than
two errors. Analyze and report
on performance metrics
monthly. Provide required
metric data for travel within 5
business days after the close of
the month.
SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2
Why it’s SMART
 Specific – “Serve as a team leader
for the Travel Team…” “Analyze,
report… provide required data…”
 Measurable – “Ensure that no more
than 5% of the spot-checked
vouchers contain more than two
errors. Analyze and report on
performance metrics monthly.”
 Achievable – It is assumed the
employee has the resources to
accomplish this performance
element.
 Relevant – “In support of the
Business Excellence Campaign #6,
Goal 1, Performance Element 1.1…”
 Timely – “Over the next 12
months.”
6
 SMART
Number
Performance Standard
5 For every project to which you
are assigned over the next
fiscal year, provide high quality
deliverables in the timeframe
specified at the beginning of
the project. Each deliverable
must be produced according to
applicable guidelines and
procedures and may contain
only minimal errors, as
determined by supervisor
review. As part of this
objective, you must also
develop a feasible draft
personal work plan for each
project that shows how you will
accomplish the deliverables on
time. This draft must be
submitted to your supervisor
within one week of receiving
the project. You may work with
your supervisor to finalize this
plan.
SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2
Why it’s SMART
 Specific – “Provide high quality
deliverables…” “Develop a feasible
draft personal work plan…”
 Measurable – “Each deliverable
must be produced according to
applicable guidelines and
procedures and may contain only
minimal errors, as determined by
supervisor review.”
 Achievable – It is assumed the
employee has the resources to
accomplish this performance
element.
 Relevant – Guidelines and
procedures are referenced and it is
assumed that this performance
element aligns with larger
organizational goals.
 Timely – “Over the next fiscal year.”
7
 6 Identify one aspect of a current
collection strategy that needs
improvement. Independently
research the issue and
coordinate with collectors from
other agencies to brainstorm
and gather relevant
information. Draft a report with
at least two thoroughly detailed
and realistic options for
changes to the strategy that
may mitigate the current
problem. The recommendations
must meet relevant laws and
regulations. The report should
have minimal editing errors,
conform to the organizational
format, and be submitted to
your supervisor by June 30.
SMART Performance Standards Worksheet – DPMAP Rev. 2
 Specific – “Identify one aspect…”
 Measurable – “Draft a report with at
least two thoroughly detailed and
realistic options for changes to the
strategy…”
 Achievable – It is assumed the
employee has the resources to
accomplish this performance
element.
 Relevant – “…that may mitigate the
current problem.”
 Timely – “…by June 30.”
8